Title
Authorizing the Fire Department to accept the donation of one BackSafe system valued at $2,400.
Body
WHEREAS, BackSafe has offered to donate one BackSafe Guardian system valued at $2,400 to the Fire Department; and
WHEREAS, operating a large motor vehicle is a challenging task, especially when backing up or maneuvering in tight spaces; and
WHEREAS, more than 60 people are killed each year by large vehicles backing over them and more than six firefighters have been killed in the last 10 years from backing accidents; and
WHEREAS, in June 2009, a Saint Paul Fire Department ambulance backed over and fatally injured an elderly Highland Park woman, Margaret Kuehn, and as a result of that accident, a Saint Paul firefighter developed a system which allows active and instantaneous communication between apparatus drivers and their spotters, alerting the driver of safe and unsafe backing conditions; and
WHEREAS, that device is being commercially produced by BackSafe Inc. and will become standard equipment on Saint Paul fire trucks; and
WHEREAS, BackSafe Inc. would like to donate the first system to the Saint Paul Fire Department in memory of Margaret Kuehn; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council accepts the donation of one BackSafe Guardian system valued at $2,400 for installation on Medic 19 in honor of Margaret Kuehn, and thanks the for the generous gift; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Saint Paul expresses sincere gratitude to Saint Paul firefighter Jovan Palmieri for his invention and BackSafe Inc for developing this system to improve the safety of firefighters and civilians around the country by enabling large vehicles to "back safe".